SAN JOSE, California – A San Jose woman has been sentenced to 54 months in prison for conspiring to file false claims for tax refunds, submitting false claims for tax refunds, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Diep Vo, 71, of San Jose, was sentenced to 54 months in prison on January 4, 2018, for her role in a scheme that targeted homeless and unemployed individuals in the San Jose area.
According to court documents, Vo went to homeless shelters and halfway houses, convincing individuals to write down their names and social security numbers and to sign blank income tax returns. Vo and her codefendant, Trong Nguyen, then falsified the signed returns by including bogus income and income tax withheld amounts.
The scheme sought fraudulent refunds totaling approximately $3.4 million, with the defendants directing the IRS to send the refund checks to private mailboxes they controlled.
Vo pleaded guilty to all counts, including conspiracy to file false claims, aiding and abetting in filing false claims, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
In addition to her prison sentence, Vo was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $700,816 in restitution to the IRS.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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